Shamanism and the use of hallucinogenic plants and fungi, like in the case presented in Little Saints,
which is psylocibin mushrooms, has existed for hundres perhaps thousands of years. It can be traced
back to the Mayan civilizations of Mesoamerica, but their use appears through history in paintings,
writings and symbols in many different cultures and civilizations around the world. In recent years,
many studies and information has become widely available, specially after the late 2000's. In these
sections you will find a compilation of books, videos, audio, images and links to articles in other websites that have
detailed and specific information about this subject.

by Jeremy Narby (Editor), Francis Huxley (Editor)

This collection of essays traces Western civilization's struggle to interpret and understand the ancient knowledge of cultures that revere magic men and women-individuals with the power to summon spirits. These writings by priests, explorers, adventurers, natural historians, and anthropologists express the wonder of strangers in new worlds. Who were these extraordinary people, men who imitated the sounds of animals in the night, or drank tobacco juice through funnels, or wore collars filled with stinging ants?

by Charles S. Grob (Author)

In Hallucinogens, Charles Grob surveys recent writings from such important thinkers as Terence McKenna, Huston Smith, and Andrew Weil, illustrating that a reevaluation of the social worth of hallucinogens-used intelligently-is greatly in order.

by Stanislav Grof (Author)

In this, his culminating work, the leading international figure in consciousness research masterfully synthesizes his vast findings, drawing not only upon psychedelic therapy and Holotropic Breathwork, but also from literature, cross-cultural studies, ancient mystical sources and psychological data, resulting in a profound consolidation and articulation of what is now known about nonordinary states of consciousness.

by Jeremy Narby (Author)

Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has altered how we understand the Shamanic cultures and traditions that have undergone a worldwide revival in recent years. Now, in one of his most extraordinary journeys, Narby travels the globe-from the Amazon Basin to the Far East-to probe what traditional healers and pioneering researchers understand about the intelligence present in all forms of life.

Roger Walsh (Editor), Charles S. Grob (Editor)

by Jeremy Narby (Author)

This adventure in science and imagination, which the Medical Tribune said might herald "a Copernican revolution for the life sciences," leads the reader through unexplored jungles and uncharted aspects of mind to the heart of knowledge. In a first-person narrative of scientific discovery that opens new perspectives on biology, anthropology, and the limits of rationalism, The Cosmic Serpent reveals how startlingly different the world around us appears when we open our minds to it.

Said to help occasion direct spiritual experience, entheogens include such psychoactives as ayahausca, the peyote used by the Native American Church, and psilocybin mushrooms. What place might psychoactive sacramentals have in contemporary spiritual practices? Can the careful use of entheogens aid in spiritual development? What cautions ought to be considered? 25 new essays from leaders in religion, mental health, and allied fields address these questions.

In the Amazon, shamans do not talk in terms of hallucinogens but of tools for communicating with other life-forms. Ayahuasca, for example, is first and foremost a means of breaking down the barrier that separates humans from other species, allowing us to communicate with them. The introduction of plant-centered shamanism into the Western world in the 1970s was literally the meeting of two entirely different paradigms. In The Psychotropic Mind, three of the individuals who have been at the forefront of embracing other ways of knowing look at the ramifications of the introduction into our Western culture of these shamanic practices and the psychotropic substances that support them.

by Stanislav Grof

Recent advances in a variety of scientific disciplines have revealed the limitations of the Newtonian-Cartesian model of the universe. One of the interesting aspects of this development is the increasing convergence of science and the "perennial philosophy." The new research has led to a critical revaluation of ancient spiritual systems long ignored or rejected because of their assumed incompatibility with science. Here are Swami Muktananda on the mind. Swami Prajnananda on Karma. Swami Kripananda on the Kundalini. Ajit Mookerjee on the Kundalini. Joseph Chilton Pearce on spiritual development. Mother Teresa on love and service. Jack Kornfield on Buddhism for Americans. Fritjof Capra on the new paradigms. Rupert Sheldrake on morphic resonance. Karl Pribram on the holographic model. Claudio Naranjo on meditation, and more.

by Richard J. Sandore (Author)

After a well thought out overview of the world's great spiritual traditions following the thread that divinity lives within woven through them all, The Steps to Vibrancy are presented. Each step from Take Responsibility, through Eliminate Excuses, to Vibrancy-The Glow of Being Alive is discussed in detail. Then easy to follow meditations and exercises are given to guide the reader into understanding, internalizing, and living the concept. Living the Steps to Vibrancy gently walks readers step by step from who they are, into who they want to be.

by Stanislav Grof

Stanislav Grof's first book, and since all his books build on the previous ones, this one is the foundation for all the rest. For example, its descriptions of psychedelic-induced states, such as the experience of cosmic unity, are more detailed here than in any of his later books. Hence, REALMS... may be the best of Grof's books to start with.

by Thomas B. Roberts (Narrator) , Roger Walsh (Foreword)

In this book, more than 25 spiritual leaders, scientists, and psychedelic visionaries examine how we can return to the primary spiritual encounters at the basis of all religions through the guided use of entheogens. With contributions by Albert Hofmann, Huston Smith, Stanislav Grof, Charles Tart, Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin, Frances Vaughan, Myron Stolaroff, and many others, this book explores protocols for ceremonial use of psychedelics, the challenges of transforming entheogenic insights into enduring change, psychoactive sacraments in the Bible, myths surrounding the use of LSD, and the transformative ayahuasca rituals of Santo Daime.

by Christina Grof, Stanislav Grof

Many people are undergoing a profound personal transformation associated with spiritual opening. Under favorable circumstances, this process results in emotional healing, a radical shift in values, and a profound awareness of the mystical dimension of existence. For some, these changes are gradual and relatively smooth, but for others they can be so rapid and dramatic that they interfere with effective everyday functioning, creating tremendous inner turmoil. Unfortunately, many traditional health-care professionals do not recognize the positive potential of these crises; they often see them as manifestations of mental disease and repsond with stigmatizing labels, suppressive drugs, and even institutionalization.

by Ralph Metzner (Editor)

This book describes in vivid detail the consciousness-expanding experiences of psychoactive mushroom users--from artists to psychologists--and the healing visionary inspiration they received. It provides firsthand accounts of studies performed in the controversial Harvard Psilocybin Project, including the Concord Prison study and the Good Friday study. It describes how the use of the psilocybe mushroom spread from the mountains of Mexico into North America, Asia, and Europe by seekers of consciousness-expanding experiences. It also details how psilocybin has been used since the 1960s in psychotherapy, prisoner rehabilitation, the enhancement of creativity, and the induction of mystical experiences and is being studied as a treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

by Stanislav Grof (Author)

This book might have been entitled Beyond Drugs. The second part describes the principles and process of the non-pharmacological technique developed by the author and his wife Christina for self-exploration and for psychotherapy. Grof explores in detail the components of this technique. He describes its method, its effective mechanisms, as well as its goals and potential. Its practice is simple, since it utilizes the natural healing capacity of the psyche.

by Martin W. Ball (Author)

Mushroom Wisdom explores the universal aspects of the psilocybin mushroom experience as it relates to spirituality. Author Martin Ball explains how mushroom use can lead the spiritual seeker to profound states of self-awareness and radical understanding of the nature of the self, reality, and the sacred. Topics include looking into the spiritual mirror to uncover an authentic sense of self, developing “witness” consciousness to overcome self-limiting concepts and judgments, and removing obstacles of ego and self-induced suffering to trigger the rich experience of “spirit flow.”

by Stanislav Grof (Editor), Christina Grof (Editor)

Increasing numbers of people involved in personal transformation are experiencing spiritual emergencies — crises when the process of growth and change becomes chaotic and overwhelming. Individuals experiencing such episodes may feel that their sense of identity is breaking down, that their old values no longer hold true, and that the very ground beneath their personal realities is radically shifting. In many cases, new realms of mystical and spiritual experience enter their lives suddenly and dramatically, resulting in fear and confusion. They may feel tremendous anxiety, have difficulty coping with their daily lives, jobs, and relationships, and may even fear for their own sanity.

Thomas B Roberts (Author)

This book looks at the possible research and clinical applications of psychedelic substances. Instead of considering the experiences one can have with psychedelics or their uses in psychotherapy, this book views psychedelics' implications for a number of topics "coming over the psychedelic horizon," so to speak.

Robert Forte (Narrator)

With contributions by Albert Hofmann, Terence McKenna, Ann and Alexander Shulgin, Thomas Riedlinger, Dale Pendell, and Rick Strassman as well as interviews with R. Gordon Wasson and Jack Kornfield, this book explores ancient and modern uses of psychedelic drugs, emphasizing the complementary relationship between science and mystical experience and the importance of psychedelics to the future of religion and society.

by Sandra Ingerman (Author), Hank Wesselman (Author)

Today, practicing shamanism doesn't mean you have to live in a rain forest or a desert. Thanks to a modern renaissance of shamanic spirituality, practitioners from all walks of life now use powerful indigenous techniques for healing, insight, and spiritual growth. With Awakening to the Spirit World, teachers Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman bring together a circle of renowned Western shamanic elders to present a comprehensive manual for making these practices accessible and available in our daily lives, including: How the original practice of shamanism shaped the world's spiritual traditions and why it is still relevant today.

by Stanislav Grof M.D. (Author)

Dr. Grof's consciousness research over the last five decades has shown that the deepest roots of trauma often lie in experiences from birth or in events from human history that have not yet been resolved and are still active in the collective unconscious. This unresolved personal or collective history then expresses through an individual or group that has some connection to the earlier events. Traditional therapeutic approaches which focus only on events in the personal biography or tranquilizing medications do not access or heal these deeper wounds in the human psyche. From a more general perspective, Dr. Grof examines the broad problems of violence and greed in society and finds that the widespread fear and aggression between individuals and groups may also originate in large part from the unconscious acting-out of unresolved historical traumas from the collective unconscious.

Sandra Ingerman (Author)

Shamanic journeying is the inner art of traveling to the invisible worlds beyond ordinary reality to retrieve information for change in every area of our lives from spirituality and health to work and relationships.

In this long-awaited book, Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof describe their groundbreaking new form of self-exploration and psychotherapy: Holotropic Breathwork. Holotropic means "moving toward wholeness," from the Greek holos (whole) and trepein (moving in the direction of). The breathwork utilizes the remarkable healing and transformative potential of nonordinary states of consciousness. These states engender a rich array of experiences with unique healing potential--reliving childhood memories, infancy, birth and prenatal life, and elements from the historical and archetypal realms of the collective unconscious. Induced by very simple means--a combination of accelerated breathing, evocative music, and bodywork in a safe and supportive setting, Holotropic Breathwork integrates the insights from modern consciousness research, depth psychology, transpersonal psychology, anthropology, Eastern spiritual practices, and mystical traditions. The Grofs' work with holotropic states of consciousness has introduced revolutionary changes to psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy. Written in a clear, easily understandable style, this indispensable book summarizes their remarkable insights.

by Terence McKenna (Author)

For the first time in trade paperback, the critically acclaimed counterculture manifesto by the wildly popular McKenna. "Deserves to be a modern classic on mind-altering drugs and hallucinogens." -The Washington Post.

Stanislav Grof (Author)

This accessible and comprehensive overview of the work of Stanislav Grof, one of the founders of transpersonal psychology, was specifically written to acquaint newcomers with his work. Serving as a summation of his career and previous works, this entirely new book is the source to introduce Grof's enormous contributions to the fields of psychiatry and psychology, especially his central concept of holotropic experience, where holotropic signifies "moving toward wholeness." Grof maintains that the current basic assumptions and concepts of psychology and psychiatry require a radical revision based on the intensive and systematic research of holotropic experience. He suggests that a radical inner transformation of humanity and a rise to a higher level of consciousness might be humankind's only real hope for the future.

Michael Harner (Author)

This classic on shamanism pioneered the modern shamanic renaissance. It is the foremost resource and reference on shamanism. Now, with a new introduction and a guide to current resources, anthropologist Michael Harner provides the definitive handbook on practical shamanism – what it is, where it came from, how you can participate.

Alex Grey (Author)

Artist Alex Grey is creating some of the most beautifully refined paintings in the world today and his work is exhibited worldwide, including the New Museum and Stux Gallery in New York, the Grand Palais in Paris, the São Paulo Biennial, and ARK exhibition space in Tokyo. His art is also featured in venues as diverse as album covers for the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, and Tool, Newsweek magazine, and the Discovery Channel. This is a limited collector’s edition.

by R. Gordon Wasson (Author)

From the back cover: One of the key enigmas of cultural history has been the identity of a sacred plant called Soma in the ancient Rig Veda of India. Mr. Wasson has aroused considerable attention in learned circles and beyond by advancing and documenting the thesis that Soma was a hallucinogenic mushroom - none other than the Amanita muscaria, the fly-agaric that until recent times was the center of shamanic rites among the Siberian and Uralic tribesmen. In his presentation he throws fascinating light on the role of mushrooms in religious ritual. A section on the post-Vedic history of Soma is contributed by the Sanskrit scholar Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty.

by Alex Grey (Author)

The power of art as a transformative path is the theme of this inspiring collection from internationally known artist Alex Grey. Art Psalms combines poems, artwork, and "mystic rants" that fuse imagination, creativity, and spirituality. Grey’s oracular poetry declares that art, both its creation and its observation, can be a spiritual practice. Many of these writings have been shared at gatherings worldwide, especially at New York City’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM), a contemporary sacred space co-founded by Alex and Allyson Grey.

This fascinating book discusses the role played by psychoactive mushrooms in the religious rituals of ancient Greece, Eurasia, and Mesoamerica. R. Gordon Wasson, an internationally known ethnomycologist who was one of the first to investigate how these mushrooms were venerated and employed by different native peoples, here joins with three other scholars to discuss the evidence for his discoveries about these fungi, which he has called enthoegens, or "god generated within." In the book Wasson describes his quest for the soma plant, which led him to the Middle East and India, to shamanic rites of Siberia, Mesoamerica, and the United Statess, and to the folklore of Europeans, Bedouins, and even the Pennsylvania Dutch. Stella Dramrisch details rituals of the putka mushroom, a later substitute for soma. Jonathan Ott comments on the "disembodied eyes" found on carvings in Mexico and on an ancient ring from Crete, eyes that he argues are metaphors for the state produced by ingestion of entheogenic mushrooms. Finally, Carl A. P. Ruck relates a variety of fungi to Greek myth and ritual, focusing in particular on ergot, a common growth on barley that he feels may have been imbibed at the Eleusinian Mysteries.

by Alex Grey (Author), Ken Wilber(Foreword)

This is an inspirational book about art's power to bring about personal catharsis and spiritual awakening. Alex Grey's reflections combine his extensive knowledge of art history and his own first-hand experiences in creating art on the boundaries of consciousness. Included are practical techniques and exercises that can be used to explore the spiritual dimension of art. Challenging and thought-provoking, The Mission of Art will be enjoyed by everyone who has ever contemplated the deeper purpose of artistic expression.

by R. Gordon Wasson (Author)

In 1957 Life magazine created a sensation by publishing an article about the experiences of a JP Morgan executive who took mind-altering mushrooms with a shaman woman in Mexico. The story captured the imagination of a generation, inspiring waves of intellectuals, artists, and seekers to travel in search of the mushrooms and the indigenous healer, Maria Sabina. Today, Gordon Wasson is credited with having triggered the psychedelic revolution and his influence lives on through the growing community of people who study indigenous spirituality, sacred plants, and their role in personal transformation.

This unique series of paintings takes the viewer on a graphic, visionary journey through the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual anatomy of the self. From anatomically correct rendering of the body systems, Grey moves to the spiritual/energetic systems with such images as "Universal Mind Lattice," envisioning the sacred and esoteric symbolism of the body and the forces that define its living field of energy.

by Thomas J. Riedlinger (Editor)

A legendary figure in the field of ethnobotany, R. Gordon Wasson's trail-blazing work on hallucinogenic mushrooms with the Mexican curandera Maria Sabina in the 1950s brought increased scholarly attention to the importance of psychoactive plants in the spiritual life of indigenous peoples and had a profound influence well beyond the academic world. His accessible writings helped popularize these discoveries, forming the ground for the social revolution of the following decade. With the growing interest in the role of psychoactive plants in society today, the work of R. Gordon Wasson and the example set by the man himself, so well illustrated here, takes on increasing importance.

by Alex Grey (Author), Allyson Grey (Contributor)

Revealing the interwoven energies of body and soul, love and spirit that illuminate the core of each being, Alex Grey’s mystic paintings articulate the realms of consciousness encountered during visits to entheogenic heaven worlds. His painting Net of Being--inspired by a blazing vision of an infinite grid of Godheads during an ayahuasca journey--has reached millions as the cover and interior of the band TOOL’s Grammy award–winning triple-platinum album, 10,000 Days. Net of Being is one of many images Grey has created that have resulted in a chain reaction of uses--from apparel and jewelry to tattoos and music videos--embedding these iconic works into our culture’s living Net of Being.

by J. R. Irvin (Author), Jack Herer (Contributor)

Jan Irvin (The Holy Mushroom) has captured what we might call an "anthropology of clarification" regarding whether or not mushrooms, and mind-altering substances in general, played any role in the development of not only Judaism and Christianity but the total culture in play at that time. It is now recognized in many academic communities (anthropologists, sociologists, psychiatrists, psychologists) that sufficient evidence exists of the importance of these substances, both textual and visual, to say "yes" in very large letters. It is no longer theory. The questions Irvin asks are these: "If mind-altering substances did play this major role, then how would this affect our interpretations of the Bible and the Qur'an? Would this shed light on the origins of mystical experiences and the stories, for example Abraham hearing voices and Ezekiel's convenient visions? What would this suggest about the shamanic behavior of Jesus? What impact would this have on organized religion?" These are bold questions. This is a very useful volume for those interested in the Holy Mushroom and the politics of truth. - Professor John A. Rush, Sierra College.

Three scientific titans join forces to completely revise the classic text on the ritual uses of psychoactive plants. They provide a fascinating testimony of these "plants of the gods," tracing their uses throughout the world and their significance in shaping culture and history. In the traditions of every culture, plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful of those plants, which are known to transport the human mind into other dimensions of consciousness, have always been regarded as sacred. The authors detail the uses of hallucinogens in sacred shamanic rites while providing lucid explanations of the biochemistry of these plants and the cultural prayers, songs, and dances associated with them.

by Thomas B. Roberts (Author)

As psychedelic psychotherapy gains recognition through research at universities and medical establishments such as the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute and Bellevue Hospital, the other beneficial uses of psychedelics are beginning to be recognized and researched as well--from enhancing problem-solving and increasing motivation to boosting the immune system and deepening moral and ethical values.

by Simon G. Powell (Author), Graham Hancock (Foreword)

It has been more than 50 years since sacred mushrooms were plucked from the shamanic backwaters of Mexico and presented to the modern world by R. Gordon Wasson. After sparking the psychedelic era of the 1960s, however, the divine mushroom returned underground from whence it mysteriously originated. Yet today, the mushroom’s extraordinary influence is once again being felt by large numbers of people, due to the discovery of hundreds of wild psilocybin species growing across the globe.

by Neal M. Goldsmith (Author)

Banned after promising research in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, the use of psychedelics as therapeutic catalysts is now being rediscovered at prestigious medical schools, such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and UCLA. Through clinical trials to assess their use, entheogens have been found to ease anxiety in the dying, interrupt the hold of addictive drugs, cure post-traumatic stress disorder, and treat other deep-seated emotional disturbances. To date, results have been positive, and the idea of psychedelics as powerful psychiatric--and spiritual--medicines is now beginning to be accepted by the medical community.

by Carl A. P. Ruck (Author), Mark Alwin Hoffman (Author)

Entheogens, myth and Human Consciousness, discusses the influence of psychoactive substances on consciousness, human evolution and mystical experiences. It explores how religion, mythology, art and culture stem from entheogenic consciousness and why it's important to us today.

Mariko Namba Walter (Editor), Eva Jane Neumann Fridman (Editor)

This two-volume reference is the first international survey of shamanistic beliefs from prehistory to the present day. In nearly 200 detailed, readable entries, leading ethnographers, psychologists, archaeologists, historians, and scholars of religion and folk literature explain the general principles of shamanism as well as the details of widely varied practices.

Christina Pratt (Author)

Shamanism is the practice of maximizing the human abilities of mind and spirit for healing and problem solving. A term that comes from the Siberian tribal word for its practitioners, "shaman," shamans are a type of medicine man or woman especially distinguished by the use of journeys to hidden worlds through myth, dream, and near-death experiences. This inclusive two-volume encyclopedia combines the philosophy, concepts, and practical elements that make up Shamanism.

by Daniel Pinchbeck (Author)

A dazzling work of personal travelogue and cultural criticism that ranges from the primitive to the postmodern in a quest for the promise and meaning of the psychedelic experience.
While psychedelics of all sorts are demonized in America today, the visionary compounds found in plants are the spiritual sacraments of tribal cultures around the world. From the iboga of the Bwiti in Gabon, to the Mazatecs of Mexico, these plants are sacred because they awaken the mind to other levels of awareness--to a holographic vision of the universe.

by Terence McKenna (Author)

by Terence McKenna (Author), Dennis McKenna (Author)

A thoroughly revised edition of the much-sought-after early work by Terence and Dennis McKenna that looks at shamanism, altered states of consciousness, and the organic unity of the King Wen sequence of the I Ching.

by Thomas Dale Cowan (Author), Tom Cowan (Author)

This inspirational book blends elements of shamanism with inherited traditions and contemporary religious commitments. Drawing on shamanic practices from the world over, Shamanism As a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life addresses the needs of contemporary people who yearn to deepen their own innate mystical sensibilities.

by Ralph Metzner (Author)

This book is an exploration of consciousness. More specifically, it is a guide to the maps and systems devised through the ages to remove the filter of habit, to free man's perceptions from the limitations and distortions imposed upon them by mental, emotional, and cultural conditioning.

by Timothy Leary (Author)

by Ram Dass (Author), Ralph Metzner (Author)

Birth of a Psychedelic Culture, an extraordinary new book, shines a bright light on the emergence of the sixties culture and the experiments with mind-altering substances undertaken by Professors Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) and then-Harvard graduate student Ralph Metzner. Based on a series of con-versations between Metzner and Ram Dass and recorded by psychiatrist and author Gary Bravo, this book describes their initial experiments at Harvard, the experiments after they were dismissed from Harvard, their journeys to India and their reflections on that transformative era.

Trips shows, using color illustrations, the latest research, and bleeding-edge cultural analogies, how the still-mysterious hallucinogens may work in the still-mysterious brain. Written in language a general audience can understand, the book's tone is light and irreverent, yet at the same time deals with the drug culture in a serious way.

by Nicolas Langlitz (Author)

Neuropsychedelia examines the revival of psychedelic science since the "Decade of the Brain." After the breakdown of this previously prospering area of psychopharmacology, and in the wake of clashes between counterculture and establishment in the late 1960s, a new generation of hallucinogen researchers used the hype around the neurosciences in the 1990s to bring psychedelics back into the mainstream of science and society.

by Stephan V. Beyer (Author)

In the Upper Amazon, mestizos are the Spanish-speaking descendants of Hispanic colonizers and the indigenous peoples of the jungle. Some mestizos have migrated to Amazon towns and cities, such as Iquitos and Pucallpa; most remain in small villages, their houses perched on stilts on the shores of the rivers that are their primary means of travel. Here in the jungle, they have retained features of the Hispanic tradition, including a folk Catholicism and traditional Hispanic medicine. And they have incorporated much of the religious tradition of the Amazon, especially its healing, sorcery, shamanism, and the use of potent plant hallucinogens.

by Dr Ben Sessa (Author)

Can Psychedelics do for psychiatry what the microscope did for biology and the telescope to astronomy? Can they be used to access on the depths of the psyche that are usually inaccessible? Psychedelic means: “mind manifesting” Psychedelics were inextricably associated with the hippie counterculture of the 1960s and, more recently, with the rave music scene and were once believed to hold great promise for treating a number of medical conditions as well as providing access to profound spiritual experiences. However, legal restrictions on the use of such drugs effectively forced them underground and brought clinical research to a halt — until recently.

by David Jay Brown (Author)

For as long as humanity has existed, we have used psychedelics to raise our levels of consciousness and seek healing--first in the form of visionary plants such as cannabis and now with the addition of human-created psychedelics such as LSD and MDMA. These substances have inspired spiritual awakenings, artistic and literary works, technological and scientific innovation, and even political revolutions. But what does the future hold for humanity--and can psychedelics help take us there?

by Timothy Leary (Author)

This collection of essays, written by the poster boy of 1960s counterculture, describes the psychological journey Timothy Leary made in the years following his dismissal from Harvard, as his psychedelic research moved from the scientific to the religious arena. He discusses the nature of religious experience and eight crafts of God, including God as hedonic artist.

by Michael J. Winkelman (Editor) , Thomas B. Roberts (Editor)

Michael J. Winkelman (Author)

by Claudia Müller-Ebeling

An in-depth investigation of traditional European folk medicine and the healing arts of witches. Explores the outlawed “alternative” medicine of witches suppressed by the state and the Church and how these plants can be used today. Reveals that female shamanic medicine can be found in cultures all over the world. Illustrated with color and black-and-white art reproductions dating back to the 16th century.

Daniel Pinchbeck (Editor), Ken Jordan (Editor)

A diverse group of authors journey into the fringes of human consciousness, tackling psychic and paranormal phenomena, lucid dreaming, synchronistic encounters, and more. Collected from the online magazine Reality Sandwich, these essays explore regions of the mind often traversed by shamans, mystics, and visionary artists; adjacent and contiguous to our normal waking state, these realms may be encountered in dreams or out-of-body experiences, accessed through meditation or plant medicines, and marked by psychic phenomena and uncanny synchronicities. From demons encountered in sleep paralysis visions to psychic research conducted by the CIA, the seemingly disparate topics covered here congeal to form a larger picture of what these extraordinary states of consciousness might have to tell us about the nature of reality itself.

The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal may be the only culture in the world where both shamanic and tantric techniques are still alive and in full practice today. The result of eighteen years of field research, Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas presents for the first time a comprehensive overview of shamanism that is based on the knowledge and experience of the different tribes from that region. Included are original statements from the various ethnic groups and 135 color thangkas, which act as visual guides to the specific practices of the tantric tradition.

by Christian Rätsch (Author), Claudia Müller-Ebeling (Author)

The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual.

By Dennis McKenna (Author)

Dennis McKenna currently teaches in the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. He received his doctorate in 1984 from the University of British Columbia and has conducted research in ethnopharmacology for over 30 years. He is a founding board member of the Heer Research Institute, a non-prot organization that supports research on therapeutic applications of psychedelics. Dennis was a key investigator on the Hoasca Project, the rst biomedical investigation of a psychedelic sacrament used in Brazil.

by Terence Mckenna (Author)

In these essays, interviews, and narrative adventures, McKenna takes us on a mesmerizing journey deep into the Amazon as well as into the hidden recesses of the human psyche and the outer limits of our culture, giving us startling visions of the past and future.

by Terence McKenna (Author)

This mesmerizing, surreal account of the bizarre adventures of Terence McKenna, his brother Dennis, and a small band of their friends, is a wild ride of exotic experience and scientific inquiry. Exploring the Amazon Basin in search of mythical shamanic hallucinogens, they encounter a host of unusual characters -- including a mushroom, a flying saucer, pirate Mantids from outer space, an appearance by James and Nora Joyce in the guise of poultry, and translinguistic matter -- and discover the missing link in the development of human consciousness and language.

Paul Stamets (Author), Andrew Weil (Foreword)

From the author of Growing Gourmet and Medicinal comes the only identification guide exclusively devoted to the world's psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Detailed descriptions and color photographs for over 100 species are provided, as well as an exploration of their long-standing (and often religious) use by ancient peoples and their continued significance to modern-day culture. Some of the species included have just been discovered in the past year or two, and still others have never before been photographed in their natural habitats.

In the 1970s two of the most influential thinkers of the psychedelic era gathered what was then known about psilocybin botany and culture and presented it in Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide. Writing under pseudonyms, the McKenna brothers provided simple, reliable, and productive methods for magic mushroom propagation, including black-and-white photographs that showed the techniques of the time. The development of more modern cultivation techniques does not eclipse the cultural contributions of this book. Philosophical asides, whimsical illustrations evoking the mystical nature of mushrooms, and speculations about the relationship of these organisms to humankind provide a lasting legacy. Truly the classic manual on home cultivation, the wisdom of Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide continues to inspire new students of psycho-mycology—and refreshes psychedelic memories for others.

by L. G Nicholas (Author), Kerry Ogame (Author)

Here is a practical step-by-step guide to cultivating four species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, indoors and outside. Anyone with a clean kitchen, some basic equipment, and a closet shelf or shady flowerbed will be able to grow a bumper crop. This Handbook also includes an introduction to mushroom biology, a guide for supplies, and advice on discreetly integrating psychedelic mushrooms into outdoor gardens.

by Richard Glen Boire (Author), Terence McKenna (Foreword)

Sacred Mushrooms and the Law is the only book covering the legal landscape underlying psychedelic mushrooms. All federal and state laws concerning mushrooms are covered, and charts outline potential punishments.

by William Brodovich (Author)

Psilocybin Mushroom Legal Defenses is a practical legal guide designed to help defense attorneys win acquittals in psilocybin mushroom cases. It relies on two legal arguments: first, that there are no laws specifically prohibiting possession of psilocybin mushrooms in 46 of the 50 states; second, that the use of these mushrooms for spiritual purposes is an exercise of religion, and therefore protected by the First Amendment. The book includes a model opening statement and final argument, and shows how to refute the "material/container" argument that the prosecutor will use. All the background information needed for a strong defense is provided.

Single dose of hallucinogen may create lasting personality change.

Sep 29, 2011 — A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called “magic mushrooms,” was enough to bring about a measureable personality change lasting at least a year in nearly 60 percent of the 51 participants in a new study, according to the Johns Hopkins researchers who conducted it.

Magic Mushrooms' Effects Illuminated in Brain Imaging Studies.

By Science Daily, based on materials provided by Imperial College London.

Jan. 24, 2012 — Brain scans of people under the influence of the psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work. The findings of two studies being published in scientific journals this week identify areas of the brain where activity is suppressed by psilocybin and suggest that it helps people to experience memories more vividly.

Can magic mushrooms help cancer patients?

Feb. 4 2013 — Psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in “magic” mushrooms, may have the power to help cancer patients deal with the psychological suffering associated with cancer, claims new research from the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD).

Psychedelic Harm Reduction.

By MAPS. Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

This year, millions of people will use psychedelics outside of supervised medical contexts, many of them for the first time. Many psychedelic users are unprepared to tend to a psychedelic-induced difficult experience if one were to arise. As part of our efforts to minimize harm related to the non-medical use of psychedelics, on this page we provide advice for helping someone having a difficult psychedelic experience.

Magic mushrooms may help with depression, say leading scientists.

By Sarah Boseley, health editor. The Guardian.

Jan. 23, 2012 — A drug derived from magic mushrooms could help people with depression by enabling them to relive positive and happy moments of their lives, according to scientists including the former government drug adviser, Professor David Nutt.

How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients Face Death.

By Lauren Slater. The New York Times.

Apr. 20, 2012 — Pam Sakuda was 55 when she found out she was dying. Shortly after having a tumor removed from her colon, she heard the doctor’s dreaded words: Stage 4; metastatic. Sakuda was given 6 to 14 months to live. Determined to slow her disease’s insidious course, she ran several miles every day, even during her grueling treatment regimens.

Sep. 07, 2010 — Researchers find psilocybin improved the anxiety and depression of terminal cancer patients for up to six months. The study is considered a first step in restoring the hallucinogen's respectability.

Shroom with a view.

By Michael Brooks. NewStatesman.

Mar. 22, 2012 — Richard Dawkins should try mushrooms. A few years ago, in an exploration of religion, he tried the "God helmet", a device that attempts to stimulate religious experience in the brain by applying a shifting magnetic field. It got him nowhere. Psilocybin, the active ingredient of magic mushrooms, might prove more enlightening.

Magic Mushrooms: How They Played a Crucial Role in the Evolution of Human Consciousness.

By Michael Suede. PolicyMic.

Sept. 7, 2012 — If you've never heard of Terence McKenna, you are in for a treat. McKenna was an America philosopher who focused on the nature of consciousness and its relationship with psychedelic drugs. One of his long standing theories about the nature of conscious evolution, that I find to be very compelling, was that primitive man encountered psychedelic mushrooms, and it was the incorporation of psychedelics into the primitive diet that prompted self-realization and language to come into existence.